National Civil Rights Museum Exhibit Hall and Entry Plaza

Memphis, Tennessee

The conversion and joining of two historic buildings, 418 Main Street and the Young & Morrow Building, into an exhibit hall for the Museum. The site required extensive renovations to accommodate the exhibit space and building code requirements, while needing to maintain the historical integrity of the assassination crime scene of Martin Luther King, Jr. The project also involved a tunnel structure from Mulberry Street to the above complex and an entry plaza to connect the Lorraine Motel with the exhibit space. A feasibility study was performed prior to the renovation to assess the structural integrity and recommend seismic strengthening. The exterior walls contain a pinned shotcrete system for increases strength and a moment-resistant frame was installed for stability.